4-time stroke survivor begins walk across America

Mycle Brandy, center, of San Clemente visits with American Heart Association/American Stroke Association coaches John Sidebottom, left, and Adam Sanchez. Brandy, a four-time stroke survivor, plans to depart Sunday from the associations' Irvine office to walk across America, pushing a cart containing his supplies. FRED SWEGLES, THE ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER

On Sunday, the associations will host a 10 a.m. send-off at their building in Irvine, 4600 Campus Drive. His friends in the organizations' Start Training program – who go there on Saturdays to prepare for marathons – will be present.

Dawn Hoem, senior business-development director with the heart and stroke associations, called Brandy "one of our most dedicated and passionate volunteers. We are really lucky to have him. We're excited to support him on this journey."

The trip will raise funds for the associations, which, in turn, will try to help keep Brandy safe and provide tools to spread awareness of heart disease and strokes, Hoem said. The Irvine office will be "reaching out to affiliates across the country to introduce them and help them give him love as he walks across the country," she said.

Brandy trains at Fitness Elite in San Clemente. For most of his journey he plans to camp at night, staying in hotels maybe once a week. His biggest need, he says, is an RV owner willing to accompany him from Phoenix to Clovis, N.M., a long, desolate stretch.

"I'm not really concerned about it, but my family is," he said. "Once I get past Clovis, it's smooth sailing the rest of the way ... there are towns within 25 miles of each other. ... If there aren't towns, there are campgrounds."

His wife, Louise, will take a week off from work to be with him from Parker, Ariz., to Phoenix. "I'm hoping that some hotels along the way (to D.C.) are going to donate a room," Brandy said.

A 1988 stroke left him deaf in his right ear. A 1995 stroke left his right side numb. Two other strokes – the most recent in 1999 – were minor. He is vulnerable to a rare split-second electrical outage on his right side.

"I know that I'm mortal and I know that I can have another stroke at any time," he said. "I can't worry about that. My hopes are that I'll be able to finish this thing and that when I get to Washington, D.C., I'll be able to raise my hands up at the Lincoln Memorial and say I did it and did it for a good cause. I owe the Heart Association a lot."

Mycle Brandy, center, of San Clemente visits with American Heart Association/American Stroke Association coaches John Sidebottom, left, and Adam Sanchez. Brandy, a four-time stroke survivor, plans to depart Sunday from the associations' Irvine office to walk across America, pushing a cart containing his supplies. FRED SWEGLES, THE ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER
Mycle Brandy crosses the finish line Dec. 6 at the Las Vegas Marathon, which he walked with his cane. COURTESY OF MYCLE BRANDY
People raising money for the American Heart Association and its American Stroke Association gather on Saturdays with coaches in Irvine to train for marathons. Here, last Saturday's group poses with Mycle Brandy, front. Some of them ran in the Surf City USA Marathon the next day. Brandy plans to leave this Sunday to walk to Washington, D.C. FRED SWEGLES, THE ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER
Mycle Brandy works out in September at Fitness Elite in San Clemente. PAUL BERSEBACH, REGISTER FILE PHOTO
Mycle Brandy, attending last Saturday's training clinic at the American Heart Association/American Stroke Association building in Irvine, shows fellow marathon trainees the supply cart he plans to push across America. FRED SWEGLES, THE ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER
Mycle Brandy wears his "Walking Across America" shirt during the 2009 Las Vegas Marathon. COURTESY OF MYCLE BRANDY
Mycle Brandy, center, chats with his coach John Sidebottom and others at a training session for people preparing to run marathons. Brandy is preparing to walk across America with a pushcart containing his supplies. FRED SWEGLES, THE ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER
Mycle Brandy of San Clemente shows some of the medals from marathons he has walked. The four-time stroke survivor plans to leave Sunday, his 59th birthday, to walk across the country to Washington, D.C. PAUL BERSEBACH, REGISTER FILE PHOTO

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